Heat
by rowanrawr
Summary: Gods, they missed this. Arra/Larten.


**Okay, I lied: I am going to write more this year. I found being back on here so great and rewarding, that I couldn't help myself. **

**I celebrated this fact by going back to my roots (Fanfiction roots, anyhow) and writing a wonderfully sweet and tender Arra/Larten story. No, I'm not going to apologise for it being a little out-of-character. No, I'm not sorry that most of you on here now **_**hate **_**Arra, or more the combination of Arra/Larten. In fact, I'm doing this because of you (not that you'll be reading this). I miss when stories were little spin-offs from the series. I miss all of the A/L stories that could be seen on a weekly basis, I miss all of the A/L **_**authors**_** on here. **

**Come back, please. You're dearly missed, and sorely needed. Look at the state the fandom is in. Frown. Mumble a complaint to yourself. And then **_**write**_**.**

**This little story is dedicated to all of you who used to write for A/L, and for any of my old reviewers. I miss you guys. I hope you enjoy this!**

Larten had quickly lost all of his composure.

He had made a silent vow to himself that he was going to be the perfect gentleman tonight. The Festival of the Undead provided more than enough distractions for Darren, and Gavner, and anyone else who was likely to bother them, and he and Arra had taken advantage of that.

What had started as a small walk around the forest at the base of the mountain, had escalated into a trek towards the nearby lake. Vampire Mountain was perhaps half an hour away from the lake, and during that time the two of them had talked, avoiding the more serious things that hung in the air around them. Arra had slipped her shoes off, and was carrying them by the straps, walking along fallen trees and over rocks, staying ahead of Larten while they laughed and joked.

Larten hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her. Going on this little trek had been her idea, though she was hardly dressed for it, hence the removal of the shoes. Larten had given her his suit jacket once they had set off towards the lake, and she had accepted it gratefully, even though it was too big and looked like she was wearing a second dress.

Reaching the lake first, Arra had stopped, taking in the view. Larten had shortly appeared next to her, and instantly put his arm around her. She glanced up at him and grinned, and he smiled back. Because the moment seemed absolutely perfect to him, he had leant down to kiss her. He had meant it to be just one little kiss, just like the old days.

But when Arra didn't make any move to pull away or stop him, he became a little braver, and braver, and braver, until he had pushed her back against a nearby tree and had started kissing a trail down her neck, his hands planted firmly on her ribcage.

Though he had initially been desperate to hold onto any of his composure (which he knew was long gone, probably drifting in the lake behind them), Larten found himself not caring anymore. The only thing he cared about was Arra, and how good this felt, and how right it felt, and _Gods_, how much he had missed this.

'Lar_ten_.' He was all too aware that she had been repeating his name over the past minute, but it was this last mention that made him stop. He grinned against her neck, pleased that he could still elicit this response from her, and made to continue when she put a hand under his chin and lifted his head back up to face her.

Thinking this was a little game, Larten removed his hands from her waist and placed them on the tree behind them, either side of Arra's head. He grinned, and made to kiss her again, but she moved and pushed him back slightly. Confused, he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but stopped when he caught the look in her eyes.

Arra dropped her gaze down, but kept her hands where they were: One firmly on his shoulder, the other clutching the collar of his shirt. She was torn between pulling him back or pushing him away. 'I… I can't, Larten. I'm sorry,' she said quietly, trying not to let her voice shake. Arra turned away, but couldn't find it in her to let go of him.

Still dazed from the moment before, and caught up in thoughts of the heat of her skin against his lips, Larten stuttered the only explanation his foggy mind could think up. 'There's someone else,' he concluded, taking a step back and letting his hands fall away from the tree. 'Is it Mika? Please, not him. _Anyone_ but him, Arra, _please_.'

'There's no one else,' Arra turned back to him and laid a hand against his scarred cheek. 'Of course there's no one else.'

'What is it then?' There was a hint of shame in his voice – how could he have come to _that _conclusion first? – but he met her gaze all the same.

With a sigh, Arra dropped her hands and turned her back to him, hugging the jacket closer to her. She stared out into the forest for a moment before letting out a whisper. 'You left.'

Those two words suddenly made him feel extremely foolish in the way he had behaved, and he cursed himself quietly. He couldn't believe he had let himself get carried away like he had, when they'd only been reunited for a few weeks. Remembering his place, he simply laid a hand on her shoulder. 'I am sorry. I should not have been so… forward. It will not happen again, I-'

His promise was cut off as Arra whipped round and wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly. Larten hesitated, his hands hovering, before he let them rest on her back. Neither of them spoke for a while, but eventually Larten pulled away and sighed. He sat down, leaning back against the tree, and pulled Arra down with him.

'You don't understand,' Arra said sometime after they had moved to the ground. She was sat on his lap, leaning back against him, holding both of his hands in her own. 'I do… want to. I want it to happen again, it's just…' Arra lowered her head to stare at their hands, and Larten had to strain to hear her. 'I'm scared. Larten, I'm afraid you'll leave again.'

Larten kissed her hair and smiled, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer. She had always felt so small in his embrace, and he loved that. This feeling was just his: She was only small and delicate and vulnerable when he held her, and knowing that made him feel special, made him feel like he was the only one in the world who could protect her and comfort her and love her.

'I am not going to leave you again. I promise you that,' he whispered into her ear, and dropped his head to gently kiss her shoulder.

'I know,' Arra's voice was equally quiet. She gripped his hands tighter, and pulled him closer, wanting, _needing_, to feel that familiarity, to feel protected and safe and lost in his embrace. 'I trust you.'

Larten placed a hand on her jaw and turned her head back towards him. Arra caught his lips, and felt his embrace tighten still. She welcomed it, not wanting any distance between them. The kiss was slow and tender, and she felt elated at the fact that they had so many years ahead of them to repeat this over and over again.

_Gods_, she missed this.


End file.
